England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt has been declared fit and available for Thursday's T20 World Cup semi-final clash against South Africa.
Sciver-Brunt, 33, has been sidelined since England's second tournament match against Ireland due to a recurrence of a calf issue. She participated in batting practice on Wednesday morning and also trained on Tuesday at Lord's. England's team management has deemed her fit to play as the team seeks to win the World Cup for the first time since 2017.
"We are confident I am fully fit," Sciver-Brunt told BBC Test Match Special. She reportedly used magnetic resonance therapy to aid her recovery.
Sciver-Brunt is expected to replace batter Sophia Dunkley in England's starting XI. Dunkley was observed speaking with coach Charlotte Edwards shortly before Sciver-Brunt addressed the media. While Sciver-Brunt appeared relatively mobile during her net session, showing no difficulty moving down the pitch to face spinners, the potential for re-injury remains a consideration, particularly with the final less than 72 hours away.
"We have tested it enough to be comfortable," Sciver-Brunt stated. "What will happen out on the pitch will happen."
Her return is considered a significant boost for England, as she is regarded as their top batter. Charlie Dean has performed capably in Sciver-Brunt's absence, but the captain's leadership is also invaluable. Sciver-Brunt, alongside Heather Knight and Danni Wyatt-Hodge, are the only remaining players from England's last World Cup victory.
England enters the semi-final as favorites, having progressed through the group stage undefeated and holding an undefeated record at The Oval. However, they have lost their last two World Cup semi-final encounters against South Africa, in both the 50-over World Cup last year and the T20 version in 2023.
South Africa has shown moments of inconsistency in the tournament but has reached the last three World Cup finals across different formats. Captain Laura Wolvaardt acknowledged that her team's batting lineup, which includes powerful hitters like Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Marizanne Kapp, and Wolvaardt herself, has not been performing at its peak, describing it as "frustrating" that they haven't secured more comfortable victories.
"We have chatted about it, that if we do find ourselves in a position to kill the game earlier we are blessed with a lot of power in our line-up," Wolvaardt said. "We have that opportunity to go a bit earlier. Maybe tomorrow at The Oval suits us a bit better."
Wolvaardt also avoided commenting on the possibility of a substitute fielder if Sciver-Brunt were to reinjure her calf during the match, noting that the laws of cricket permit substitutes for injuries sustained during a game. "As a captain it is always hard to plan for her," Wolvaardt added. "She is a world-class batter and is able to hit really weird areas. Setting a field is quite hard for her. Hopefully we are able to keep her quiet."